Oh-Em-Gee! Thank you for all your wonderful reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter as well. In this chapter we meet some of Sam's friends and there will be some Sam and Aria bonding :) I hope you all enjoy!

She was wearing a long-sleeved lace dress barely brushing past her knees. The dress clung to her smaller waist and hid her curves under its flowing material flaring over her hips. Soft ringlet of curled hair framed her face. Her lips were painted blood red.

She sauntered through throngs of people searching for his familiar face to no avail. She tried acting composed but he could see the distress in her eyes.

He watched her bump into a server carrying hors d'oeuvres, nearly making him drop the platter. He watched her apologize to the man before speed walking away from the scene. He decided to make his presence known and walk over towards the short woman now downing a glass of champagne.

"Hey."

"Oh thank the heavens," Mercedes muttered before placing the glass down on the silver platter of a passing server. "Hey," she said trying to act 'cool' and collected. "What's up?" She said with what she presumed was nonchalant.

Sam swallowed a laugh.

"I'm glad you made it."

She smiled up at him admiring him for a few seconds. He looked striking with his short blonde hair swept back. He wore a white dress shirt, without a tie, tucked into a pair of black dress pants. He looked relaxed but sophisticated at the same time.

"Well, it beats sitting in my dorm listening to Rachel practice ramble on about how amazing Jesse is and how

he burps butterflies and fart rainbows," Mercedes said rolling her eyes. "I need a break from her."

Sam grinned offering her his arm to take. She gave a small smile placing her arm in his letting him lead her through the exhibition.

"Thanks for inviting me," Mercedes told him as he slowly showed her the works of his peers.

Their friendship started innocent enough; they text one another daily sharing funny memes. Daily text progressed to daily phone calls. They then started hanging out more.

"Yeah, no problem. Quinn couldn't make it, she has to study so I had an extra ticket," Sam explained.

Mercedes gave a small smile pulling away from him. Mercedes always seemed to forget so quickly that Sam had a girlfriend- a beautiful blonde girlfriend. She felt like the other woman. No, she and Sam were not hooking up behind the scenes so technically they were not doing anything bad but there was a deadly chemistry between them that could easily lead them to become lovers.

Immediately her body felt the loss of contact. She mentally reprimanded herself for her body's reactions: Sam had a girlfriend and here she was missing his touch. She rubbed her arm with her hand awkwardly before changing the subject from Sam's absent girlfriend to the art exhibition.

"Which one is yours?"

"I'll show you."

He resisted the urge to take her small hand in his and lead her. Quinn was already jealous enough of his friendship with Mercedes; he did not want to make it worse. He trailed in front of her leading her past walls lined with the artwork of his fellow students. They made small- talk as he led her to his painting decorating an empty white wall.

"Here it is," Sam said nervously.

Sam wanted to impress her. He wanted to show he was more than just a jock with a ball. He wanted to show he had talent. Samuel was never a gifted scholar; his dyslexia, average IQ of 108 and just pure laziness made studying harder than it needed to be. He excelled in sport from a young age and in high school when he found comic books his love for drawing developed. Art was the only subject he excelled in at school because he found it genuinely interesting.

Mercedes studied the painting for a few minutes; Sam only used two colours- black and white. One half of the canvas black with white stars and the other was painted white with black stars. In the middle of the canvas was a cross half white, half black. The half white part of the cross was painted on the black background and the black half of the cross painted on the white background.

"Each painting here is inspired by a social issue of either the past or present," Sam explained as he watched her silently study the painting he titled 'John 3:16'. "I chose racism. The half black, half white symbolizes racism and segregation but the Cross symbolizes that Christ died for all people no matter your skin colour. God loves all His children. Like the verse says-"

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

"Show off."

Mercedes laughed bumping him with her shoulders. Without realizing he took her hand and led her through the rest of the exhibition explaining the inspiration behind the paintings his peers shared with the professor and class. He held her hand for the rest of the night, it felt natural. It was as if both their bodies were charged with energy drawing them to one another.

"-We just got married a year ago, it's too early for kids. And, my Broadway career is just taking off, Mercedes; I don't have time for children. Kids make a mess wherever they go; they are like little tornados leaving destruction behind. They also need love and care. I got Jesse a puppy to keep him busy but he -"

"Rachel, not to be rude, but is this going anywhere? Aria is taking a bath and I'm pretty sure the apartment is going to get flooded if I don't go check on her soon," Mercedes said. She rested her forehead against the wall her phone was plugged into as it charged.

"Mercedes, I need to complain to someone," Rachel whined with a sigh.

Mercedes rolled her eyes.

"Rachel, I love you I do but I have bigger problems like the fact that my ex-boyfriend, who I happen to hate, is waltzing his way back into my life," Mercedes sighed.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry. Here I am babbling about Jesse and I when you have bigger problems like that jerk ruining your life…again."

Mercedes grinned at the protective tone in her voice.

"Look, Rachel, I love you but I gotta go," Mercedes said playing with her charger.

"I love you too," The woman said. "You're visiting me next month, right? We can fly to L.A for Sugar's and Rory's wedding together."

Mercedes ran a hand through her straightened hair.

"I don't know yet. The whole Sam thing threw me for a loop," Mercedes said rubbing her temples. "And I'm a preschool teacher; I don't have unlimited funds to fly around the US."

"Your parents are rich, they'll give you money," Rachel said causing Mercedes to roll her eyes.

Her parents were wealthy people; her father was a pastor of one of the biggest Evangelical churches in the city. He also invested a lot of the money he inherited from her grandfather's life insurance policy. Her mother was also more than just a pretty housewife and First Lady of the church. Before the woman retired and chose to raise her children she was an account before working her way up as a CFO of a big company at the age of 37. Her parents were loaded but she wanted to be independent. She wanted to look after her child and herself without the help of others. She was a proud woman.

"Or I can pay for plane tickets for you and Aria." Rachel said. "We can have a girl bonding session in New York before going to L.A. You can even meet Artie's new girlfriend, Tina, while you're here."

A sigh left her lips as she rolled her eyes at her persistent best friend.

'Rachel could never take no for answers.'

"Look, I'll see. Like I said, Sam's sudden reappearance threw me for a loop." Mercedes said. "I'll talk to you later. I love you."

"I love you too," Rachel said. "Give my little Cinnamon Bun a bunch of kisses."

Mercedes smiled.

"Sure will. Bye."

Mercedes ended the call and placed her phone down on the table before walking down the hall towards the bathroom. She walked into the small white titled room greeted by the image of her daughter surrounded in a cloud of white bubbles in the bathtub. The girl giggled throwing the white froth in the air before it landed on the floor.

"Aria," Mercedes sighed running her gaze over the wet mess on the floor of the small bathroom, in the middle of the pools of water lays a once full bottle of bubble bath.

The girl gave her mother a big guilty smile, her eyes as wide as saucers as she realized she was in trouble. Mercedes could not help but smile at the picture mentally saving it in her memories. She looked adorable with the crown of bubbles in her hair and white bubble beard smeared over her cheeks.

"I didn't mean to," Aria said. "I'm sorry."

Mercedes took off her shoes before tiptoeing on the wet slippery floor. She stoop over the bathtub blindly feeling the bottom of the bath for the rubber bath plug before pulling it out. Aria cupped a handful of foam before evenly smearing it over her mother's cheeks and giggling.

"Mommy, you look like Santa."

Mercedes smiled.

"Let's get you dry."

Mercedes kissed her daughter's small nose before grabbing her Anna and Elsa towel and wiping away the foam on her cheeks. Aria stood in the bath letting her mother wrap the towel around her before picking her up and gliding her small body in the air pretending that she's an aeroplane making the little girl giggle. Mercedes placed the young girl on the floor before grabbing another smaller towel and wrapping it around her wet tresses. Mercedes followed the little girl out the bathroom into her small room down the short hall decorated with a variety of Disney princess posters. The room was embellished in differen shades of pink from the rugs and duvet covers to the fuzzy pink pillows scattered on her bed.

Mercedes sat on the bed as the girl raided her closet until she found her SpongeBob nightdress. Mercedes quickly helped her get dressed before leading the girl to the mirror so Mercedes could dry her hair.

"But, Mommy, it hurts," Aria complained as her mom helped her on the chair.

"I know baby but if we don't blow dry your hair it's going to get tangled and then it's going to hurt a lot more."

The girl sighed dramatically with a small pout. She silently watched her mom gather hair supplies with help of the mirror.

"Mommy?"

Mercedes looked up from her crouched position by the electrical socket with the hair dryer.

"Yes, baby?"

"Why don't I have a daddy?"

Mercedes sat on her knees in front of the little girl staring at her with her father's big green eyes. She inwardly sighed not knowing how to answer the young girl in terms she would understand. Mercedes avoided the question many times but she could not anymore.

"You have a daddy. He just had to go away for a little while but he is back now and he really wants to meet you," Mercedes said with a smile, trying to sound excited even though she was anything but.

The girl stared at her mother wrinkling her eyebrows as she absorbing the information.

"Why did he go away? Doesn't he like me?" She asked playing with her small fingers.

Mercedes' heart broke at the insecurity in her daughter's. Aria She took her small fists and kiss them.

"Your daddy…" Mercedes searched for the right words. "…your daddy loves you. When you were a little baby he had to go away for a while but that doesn't mean he doesn't love you."

Mercedes kissed her little girl's temple promising herself that she would try to be civil with Samuel Evans no matter how much he hurt her. She would try her best to swallow her hurt and pride so her little girl could have a relationship with her father. Her little girl deserved a father. Her little girl deserves the world.

The man stared at the white ceiling. The brown leather couch stuck to the damp skin on the back of his neck. He ran his fingers through his blond locks before placing his weaved fingers on his torso.

"…And I have no idea what to do Dr. Mercedes hates me. How are we going to co-parent if she despises me?" Sam asked, his eyes still glued on the white walls.

The brunet haired man raised a brow as he studied the man lying on his couch.

"Sam, I'm a GP not a psychologist so I can't really tell you what to do," Blaine said handing Sam a cup of coffee before sitting down on the couch across his. "But as your best friend, I suggest you grovel for forgiveness like crazy. You were an asshole and you hurt her."

Sam ran a hand over his face before sitting up. Blaine was the only friend that knew of his past with Mercedes and up until now he was the only friend who knew he was a father.

"But are you even sure the little girl is yours?" Blaine asked taking a sip of his Nescafe. "I think you should take a DNA test. You're a professional football player; girls think you have money and popping out your baby is like having a personal ATM at your disposal."

Blaine's words offended Sam. He might have lost contact with Mercedes Jones for the past five years but he still knew her character. Mercedes was a woman who thought there were more important things then wealth in the world. She had values and she stayed rooted in those values.

"She's not that kind of girl," Sam said sharply. "She would not lie about having my child, Blaine, that's not who she is. I know Aria is mine. Not only do the dates add up but she has my eyes. She has these big beautiful green eyes that shine with happiness. I know she's mine. I also know Mercedes does not want my money; she even gave me a chance out with no obligations whatsoever. She does not care about my money; the only reason she's letting me near her is because of Aria."

Blaine raised both his hands in surrender at the tone of Sam's voice.

"Okay, sorry. I just want to look out for you."

Sam sighed taking a sip of his coffee.

"I don't know what to do, Blaine." Sam said. "I don't want her to hate me anymore and I don't know how to be a dad. What if I screw up?"

Sam was going to spend Saturday with Mercedes and Aria. Saturday would be the first step to establishing a relationship with the young girl who managed to touch his heart by merely existing. After Saturday there was no turning back. He would have to grow up and be somebody's father.

"I wish I could give you advice but as you know I'm not a parent." Blaine said.

Sam ran a hand over his face feeling the clutches of anxieties threatening to suffocate him. Fear of failure made him want to bury his head in a whole. He was afraid of screwing up. He was afraid of letting that beautiful little girl down. He let Mercedes down before and he had to live with that guilt 'till this day. He could not let that sweet little girl down too.

He felt her eyes on him as she hid behind her mother's legs playing with her hands as she pouts her lips. It was an endearing characteristic she adopted from her mother. Her demeanor was bashful, unsure; a contrast to the energetic little girl he met a few days ago.

She pulled Mercedes shirt causing the woman to kneel in front of her until she was eye level. Aria glanced his way for a second before cupping her hands around either side of her mouth and leaning closer to Mercedes so she could whisper in her ear. The young girl, though, lacked the ability to communicate in stealth. Her words, she presumed were a whisper, also met Sam's ears.

"Is that my daddy?"

'Daddy.'

That word did unexplained things to his heart; it felt heavy with emotion painfully beating against the confinement of his chest. It was such a common word but hearing his daughter say it and refer to him was like a tender warm caress to his soul. He was somebody's father, yes it was terrifying, but he wanted it. He wanted her to call him 'Daddy'. He wanted to protect her from the monsters under the bed. He wanted to take her to painfully boring ballet classes. He wanted to be that dad who was there for everything she would accomplish in her life cheering her on from the sidelines. Some would say it is absurd to feel such a way of a person you just officially met but to Sam it was a type of love at first sight scenario. The little girl stole his heart from the minute he found out she was his.

Sam felt Mercedes eyes on him for a second before returning to her…no to their daughter. The action, barely two seconds long, made his heart skip a beat. She looked beautiful as always dressed in Capri pants and a loose-fitting white buttoned shirt. She made his heart skip a beat. He tried for years to move on from her; physically it was no challenge but emotionally it was impossible. He loved the woman…no loves. He always would. But he hurt her deeply and he knew he broke her trust. She made it clear she wanted nothing from him, but Sam wanted her. He wanted to show her how sorry he was, how he loves her. He needed her to understand that even though years have passed between them she was still the one he wanted… no needed. She was like a sun in his constellation, big and bright. She was something he needed so he could function but he took her for granted and only when she was gone did he realize how he needed her.

The first few months after she left Sam suffered; all he could do was cry. He had missed her a lot.

"Yes, Aria, he is." Mercedes told the little girl with a small smile bringing Sam back to the present.

Sam watched her nod as she bit her lip and wrapped her arms around herself. Sam took it as his cue and kneeled down on the grass of the park in front of the girl swallowing the lump suffocating him in his throat.

"Do you remember me?" He asked gently.

She nodded staring at the pair of sneakers she was wearing.

"I brought you a present," Sam said showing her the SpongeBob Square Pants doll he bought her. "Your mommy says you like SpongeBob. I like SpongeBob too."

Aria shyly took the buck-tooth sponge doll clad in brown pants, a white shirt and red tie out of his grasp before clutching it against her chest. She gave her mother a questioning look silently asking if it was okay to accept the gift. Mercedes taught the girl never to take anything from strangers. The young woman nodded telling the girl it was okay.

"SpongeBob is awesome," the young girl said admiring the doll in her arms.

"Yeah, he is awesome. I like Patrick too."

"Patrick is silly," Aria said with small giggle. "Plankton is bad. Squidward is mean. I don't like him. I like Sandy because she is smart and SpongeBob."

Sam smiled at the cute little girl in front of him. Her hair was in two French braids tied with two white ribbons to prevent the hair from coming loose. She wore a pair of jean shorts showing off her thin little knees to the word. Of course her shirt was Disney inspired- Minnie Mouse to be precise.

They agreed to meet in the park. Aria liked the park. There weren't many people in the park; mainly a few joggers and dog walkers. The mid-morning sun beat down on the trio.

"Mommy, I wanna go on the swings," Aria told her mother as she took her hand with her free hand pulling her towards the playground.

Sam followed after the two females watching the young girl pull her mother after her towards the swing set. He saved the picture in the back of his mind; his giggling happy daughter.

Mercedes did not speak much. She observed the interaction between the two of them only speaking when she was spoken to. She still gave Sam the cold shoulder; trying her best not to snap at him every two seconds. But it was hard not punching out all her frustration was hard.

She suffered through the stages of grief in anachronic order; first came the depression years ago when she left him, bargaining with God to take away the pain at the time. Now she was experiencing the anger and denial…denial that maybe just maybe there was still a part hidden to the world and herself that still cared for Sam Evans. She loved him. Just because he hurt her that does not mean the love she had for him would magically be erased.

She focused her attention back to the ice cream vendor busy scooping ice cream in a cone away from the two people in the sandpit.

" So, who is going to live in your castle?" Sam asked as pouring more sand into the bucket.

Their interaction was awkward at first. Neither knew what to say or what to do at first. As time went by the little girl became more comfortable in his presence. They were in no way best friends yet but they were starting…slowly starting.

"Mommy and Uncle Vinnie and Uncle Aaron and Auntie Ava and Auntie Lea," Aria said pouring sand into her pink bucket with her plastic shovel. The sand around her clings to her legs and knees. "Grandma and Grandpa and Auntie Esther and Uncle Otis too. Uncle Kurt and Uncle Puck and Auntie Lauren and Uncle Joe and my cousins-" She uses her fingers as she named them " Lexi and Asia and McKenzie and Matt and Kevin. And Auntie Rachel and Uncle Jesse and-and Uncle Artie too…oh and SpongeBob too…and my bestest friend Shana."

They knew: Rachel, Artie and Jesse knew and they never told him. Sam was not close with Mercedes' friends in college but he respected them. Now he finds out they've been keeping this secret for years. It angered him that other people had the opportunity to be in his daughter's life whilst he was kept in the dark. It also hurt too.

He took a deep breath trying to swallow the emotions threatening to throttle him. He paints a small smile on his face quickly flipping the bucket over on the even sand before lifting it up.

"You are going to need a big castle if you want all those people to live with you."

The little girl grinned at him; her dimple showcased on her left cheek. She took her own bucket and flipped it over too before lifting the bucket of the mountain of sand now proudly standing up.

"Do I have to call you 'Daddy' or 'Sammy?" Aria asked staring at the sand in her hands.

"What do you want to call me?" Sam asked gently.

The little girl shrugged biting her lips.

"Mr Hot Stuff."

"What?" Sam spluttered.

"Auntie Esther calls you Mr Hot Stuff," she said innocently.

"Uhm…uhm…" Sam searched for the right words to use. How was he supposed to explain to a four year old how inappropriate the name was?

Before he could try to stammer out a reply Mercedes arrived with ice cream cones wrapped in a white napkin.

Aria stood up wiping off the sand clinging to her skin before going to her mother and taking her cone.

"Thank you," she said sweetly before licking the strawberry flavored ice cream.

Mercedes walked over to Sam and wordlessly handed him the cone before sitting down next to Aria and SpongeBob on the nearby bench.

It was bubblegum. It was his favorite flavor. She remembered.

He licked it standing up from the sandpit. He cleaned the sand off his jeans with his free hand watching Aria wiggle herself on Mercedes lap before taking a lick of her chocolate ice cream. She then offered her mother some of her ice cream. Mercedes kissed her temple before taking a lick and telling her how yummy it was.

They ate their ice cream in silence under the shade of the tree until Aria finished her ice cream with only the waver cone left.

"Mommy, can I feed the duckies?" She asked sliding off her mother's lap and showing her the half eaten cone.

"Okay, but don't-" before Mercedes could continue the girl ran off towards the man made pond full speed. "-run."

Sam chuckled next to her watching the young girl in a full-speed dash to the family of ducks gathering on the grass.

Mercedes picked up her disregarded sneakers housing her white ankle sock. She stood up, Sam following her lead, and took her forgotten SpongeBob stuffed doll before following Aria to the water. Sam strolled behind her in silence.

"My parents asked me to invite you for lunch tomorrow," Mercedes said not taking her eyes off Aria.

"Oh."

What was he supposed to say? He could only imagine the feelings her parents harboured for him. He was the man who impregnated their little girl. He was the man who took her virginity. He was the man who broke her heart. That made him want to decline the offer.

"You don't have to come."

'Please do not come.'

Sam thought about it for a while. Aria was close with Mercedes' family and he wanted to make the transition easier for her so he needed to have a healthy relationship with her family. The grown up him saw it that way. The other part of him was scared to the bone.

"Uhm, yeah, sure."

"Oh…okay, I'll text you the address. It's going to be around one-thirty, after church." Mercedes said before hollering to the girl. "Aria, be careful. Mommy ducks are very protective."

Immediately after the words left her mouth the duck went on the defence; she ran towards Aria, flapping it wings trying to intimidate the young child away from its ducklings. Aria yelped, throwing her waver cone on the grass running away from the animal.

"MOMMY, THE DUCKY WANTS TO KILL ME!"

The duck only chased her for a few feet before going back to her ducklings.

Mercedes burst out in laughter at her daughter's dramatic outburst. She wrapped her arms around her aching abdomen. Behind her, Sam chuckled watching the young girl pout as she walked towards her mother. Her laughter was still so beautiful and carefree like wind charms blowing through a light breeze. A flash went off in his heart; the heat it left in its aftermath flooded his arteries pulsing warmth under every inch of muscle clothed by his skin.

"Oh crap."

Mercedes' laughter vanished replaced by a stern look. The woman walked towards Aria.

"Monet, I told you before not to say that bad word."

"But Uncle Puck says it," Aria said innocently. "Why can't I say it too?"

Mercedes sighed in irritation pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Of course, Puckerman," she groaned under her breath. She stooped to the girl's level. "That is a very bad word, Aria Monet, you know it because I told you not to say it. Just because Uncle Puck uses it does not mean you can. And I am going to scold Uncle Puck too, don't you worry "

Aria bit her lip casting her eyes to the ground.

"Well since you know it's a bad word and you used it I'm not going to let you watch SpongeBob for three days."

"But, Mommy-"

"Monet," Mercedes warned.

Aria gave a sigh before cutely pouting at her mother. Sam gave her a small smile, half-amused by her antics.

"I think it's time we go home now," Mercedes told them both as she straightened up. "I have worship practice at three."

"I'll walk you to your car."

Mercedes nodded as Aria crossed her arms over her chest. Mercedes rolled her eyes at the small diva-fit she was having. Sam only grinned.

"It's kinda cute."

"It's cute now but in a few years when she rebels and disrespects you it won't be. If you reward her bad behaviour with laughter she'll think you approve of it. You need to be the bad cop at times even if it's not fun." Mercedes said watching Aria stomp in front of her.

"Ouchy!" Aria screamed stopping and lifting her heel of the ground so she could examine her feet. "Mommy, the rocks hurt my foot."

Well, there was no screaming and tears so Mercedes presumed it was not emergency. Aria was a theatrical child. She experienced every emotion to the extreme. Her tantrums were the worst; the little girl was the kind of child who would lie in the middle of the grocery aisle crying her lungs out. On those days Mercedes could die of embarrassment as judgmental bystanders critique her parenting skills.

Mercedes, not in the mood, to struggle with her sneakers thought of picking her up before Sam beat her to it. He picked her up and put her on his shoulders- much to Aria's delight.

"I'm a giraffe," she screamed in glee examining the world from her new vantage point. She looked down at her mother. "Mommy, I'm bigger than you."

"Taller, baby. Remember what Mommy said; tall is from down to up. Big is from-"

"-left-" she raised her left hand in the air proudly. "-my drawing hand to right-" she lifted her right hand to show she knew her directions. "-my other hand."

She was left-handed, just like he was.

"You're such a smart little girl," Sam said.

"I know."

"Modest too, I see you get that from your mom," he joked more to Mercedes knowing the joke would fly over Aria's head.

Mercedes did not found his joke amusing. She said nothing, just moved her gaze to the pebbles underneath her feet.

Sam sighed.

"What does modest mean?" Aria asked leaning forward so she could get a better look at his face.

Not in the mood to try and explain the concept of modesty to a four-year old, Sam just said:

"It's a grown up word. You will understand it when you're older."

"Is it a bad word?" She asked scandalized sparing a glance at her mom. "Mommy doesn't like bad words."

"It's not a bad word," Sam said watching Mercedes fish in her pockets for the car keys before unlocking her blue dated Toyota Tazz. Sam lifted Aria of his shoulders and placed her on the ground as Mercedes placed Aria's items in the backseat.

"Come on, Aria, let me buckle you up." Mercedes said.

Aria turned to Sam looking up at him.

"Are you gonna visit again?"

"Do you want me to?"

She nodded shyly.

Sam smiled; touched that the little girl wanted to spend more time with him in the future. She threw her arms around his legs for a few seconds before letting go.

"Bye-bye," she said and ran to the car a few feet away. She climbed in the car and let her mother put on her seatbelt her up.

Mercedes closed the backseat door after she checked if the child- safety lock was on. She turned towards Sam, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Thank you, for this."

"I did it for Aria."

Sam nodded.

"We need to work out the legal issues around this situation. I'm seeing a lawyer next week so we can work this out-"

"I think lawyers are not needed…for now. Aria and I are just getting to know one another; I doubt she would want to stay over with me for the holidays. I don't want to change everything for her; you're her mom and her guardian I can't just swoop in and take her from you. She deserves a mother and a father. I will try my best to be a good father to her."

I promise to try my best not to let her down like I let you down.

"Okay."

Aria *wipes away crust from eyes stares at Sam*: Daddy?

Sam *jumps away from fridge and turns to Aria swallowing the whip cream in his mouth*: Aren't you supposed to be in bed?

Aria *walks over to her dad lifting her arms*: I want water.

*Sam lifts her up placing her on the kitchen island before getting a plastic glass.

Aria: Mommy is gonna be mad. *Takes cup from Sam and drinks water* Mommy doesn't like it when we eat yummy stuff anymore.

Sam: I know, your mother is a food Nazi. Her pregnancy diet sucks *he says more to himself*. I'm not a elephant, I want meat and sugar and dairy not a bunch of leaves and vegetables.

Aria: Can I have some too? *opens mouth wide*

*Sam lifts can to her open mouth and sprays cream into her mouth*

Sam: Remember you can't tell Mommy.

*Aria nods*

Sam: If she finds out we both go down. One for all and all for one, okay-"

Mercedes *walks into kitchen*: What are you eating-

Aria *licks away evidence on lips*: It was Daddy!

Sam *places whip cream down slowly*: So much for one for all and all for one.

Mercedes *glares at Sam*: I can't believe you actually went out and bought that. It's like you want me to fall off the wagon and end up an obese whale.

Sam *rolls eyes*: You're five months pregnant, Mercedes. Of course you're going to put on weight. There is just more of you to love.

Mercedes: Are you gonna say it when I'm nothing but a brown blob of fat with a head confined to a bed covered in bed sores?

Sam: You'll be the hottest fat blob ever *rolls eyes* your far from obese, Mercedes. That won't happen-

Mercedes: I've been over-weight all my life, I can easily slip down slide to obesity.

Aria: What's ob-obesity?

Sam: Mercedes, you are over-reacting, you're not going to end up obese. Now as the man and head of the house I am ending this meatless madness. Go make your man a steak, woman."

Aria: You should say please, Daddy. It's nice when you say please.

Mercedes *raises a brow*: Excuse me? You might be the head but I'm the neck and I control that head.

Sam *gulps*: Please make me a steak?

Mercedes …

Sam: Pretty please?

Mercedes: …

Sam: I'm just gonna make that steak myself.

Aria: I want steak too, Daddy. I don't like eating leafs.

Sam: Tattletales don't get any.

Author: And now we have four chapters. Yay! Your reviews are motivational so keep them coming my loves. I really want to hear your thoughts on this chapter *cross fingers*. Positive I hope :)